Griffith Opening Statement at Oversight Subcomte Hearing on Natl Organ Procurement System
Original story published 2024-09-11 11:50:43
STORY SUMMARY
Congress is taking a critical look at the U.S. organ procurement and transplantation system after recognizing significant inefficiencies and failures that have left over 100,000 individuals waiting for transplants, with about 17 dying daily due to the shortage of viable organs. The current system, overseen by the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) since 1986, has faced numerous complaints regarding management and oversight issues. Notable incidents, such as a heart being left on a commercial airplane in 2018 and a kidney being discarded in 2020, highlight the urgent need for reform. In response, the Securing the U.S. Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network Act (HR 2544) was signed into law in 2023 to end UNOS’s monopoly by allowing multiple entities to bid for contracts, thus improving accountability and efficiency. The new law aims to modernize the system under the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) and encourages innovative solutions to address the organ shortage, such as genetically modified pig organs and advanced resuscitation technologies. Congress will closely monitor the implementation to ensure the past failures are not repeated.
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A recent congressional hearing scrutinized the United States’ organ procurement system, shedding light on the critical need to overhaul the National Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network. The session highlighted the insufficiency of the current setup, where over 100,000 individuals await organ transplants and about 17 die daily due to the shortage. Despite the pressing demand, research indicates that more than 28,000 viable organs are not recovered each year. The hearing underscored the necessity of revamping the system to improve outcomes and save lives.
Established under the National Organ Transplant Act of 1984, the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN) is managed by the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS). UNOS has faced criticism for inefficiencies and conflict of interest issues, given its monopoly over the system since 1986. Between 2010 and 2020, over 1,100 complaints were filed concerning the organ transplant network, revealing significant management and oversight failures, including the misplacement and mishandling of organs, which has resulted in canceled transplants and, in some cases, loss of viable organs. One infamous incident included a heart left on a commercial flight in 2018, and another in 2020 involved a kidney mistakenly discarded as waste.
Congress responded to these systemic issues with the passage of HR 2544, known as the Securing the US Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network Act, signed into law in 2023. This legislation aims to break UNOS’s monopoly by allowing various entities to bid for specific contracts related to logistics and health within the transplant network. The bill seeks to enhance accountability through independent boards within Health and Human Services’ Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), which now holds the authority to modernize the organ transplant system. Furthermore, the act encourages innovative solutions to tackle organ shortages, such as genetically modified organs from animals and advanced technologies to maintain organ viability longer. Congress stressed the importance of diligent oversight to ensure successful implementation and prevent past mistakes, aiming to transform and improve the organ transplantation landscape in the US.